The Cartridge Family

"The Cartridge Family"
The Simpsons episode
Homer purchases his gun
Episode no.	183
Directed by	Pete Michels
Written by	John Swartzwelder
Showrunner(s)	Mike Scully
Production code	5F01
Original air date	November 2, 1997
Chalkboard gag	"Everyone is tired of that Richard Gere story".
Couch gag	Everybody has their posteriors on fire as they run to a water-filled couch. They hop on board as steam emerges from them.
Commentary	Matt Groening Mike Scully Yeardley Smith Pete Michels George Meyer Ian Maxtone-Graham Donick Cary Ron Hauge
Season 9 episodes September 21, 1997 – May 17, 1998 "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" "The Principal and the Pauper" "Lisa's Sax" "Treehouse of Horror VIII" "The Cartridge Family" "Bart Star" "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons" "Lisa the Skeptic" "Realty Bites" "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" "All Singing, All Dancing" "Bart Carny" "The Joy of Sect" "Das Bus" "The Last Temptation of Krust" "Dumbbell Indemnity" "Lisa the Simpson" "This Little Wiggy" "Simpson Tide" "The Trouble with Trillions" "Girly Edition" "Trash of the Titans" "King of the Hill" "Lost Our Lisa" "Natural Born Kissers"
Seasons
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

"The Cartridge Family" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons' ninth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 2, 1997. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Pete Michels. In the episode, Homer purchases a gun to protect his family, of which Marge disapproves. Homer begins to show extremely careless gun usage causing Marge to leave him when she catches Bart using the gun without their permission. The episode was intended to show guns in a neutral way, and faced some problems with the censors because of the subject matter. Critical reaction was mostly positive.

A riot breaks out in Springfield after a boring soccer match between Mexico and Portugal. Fearing for her family, Marge tells Homer to buy a Home Security System, but after learning it would cost $500, he buys a firearm instead. Marge is horrified and demands he get rid of the gun. Homer brings her to a local National Rifle Association meeting to get her to change her mind, but she remains unconvinced.

After a near accident at the dinner table, Marge begs Homer to get rid of it. He promises to, but later, Bart and Milhouse find the firearm in the refrigerator's vegetable crisper. Marge discovers this and berates Homer for breaking his promise.

She leaves with the children and checks into a motel. That night, Homer hosts an NRA meeting at his house, but the other members kick him out after seeing his reckless pistol usage. Realizing what his behavior has cost him, Homer goes to the motel and tells Marge that he got rid of the gun.

While leaving, Snake arrives to rob the desk clerk. Homer pulls out his gun and Marge is angry that he lied again, but as he tries to apologize, Snake snatches the gun. The other NRA members arrive and foil Snake, who escapes. Homer then says he does not trust himself and asks Marge to throw the gun away herself. However, Marge sees a reflection of herself holding it in the trash can and decides to keep it.